How dangerous are triggerfish?

[Cave Diver]

Part of the percieved aggressivness may be locale also.

Diving in the carribean I have never encountered any triggerfish that appeared aggressive.

Diving in the Gulf of Mexico, it's not uncommon for people to get bit by triggerfish. It doesnt necessarily happen only to people who are spearfishing either, and they seem to especially like ears.

When descending along a rig leg, you can see half a dozen or more coming out from the structure to check you out. Usually they turn and leave you alone, but every once in a while one will dart in for a nibble. I've had to poke more than one with a spear tip to fend them off. And this was before I'd shot anything with nothing on a stringer.

YMMV

 

[Luis]

... another data point:

Got bitten on the knee by a Titan in Sipadan a few weeks ago.

I swam over him, wondering why he looked so agitated... a moment later, looking elsewhere, I felt a sudden pain in my knee. Luckily my wetsuit has reinforced knee pads and I got away with just a bruise that lasted a few days.

 

[Belushi]

I have bits missing from my fins where they have been bitten by TTs
I have a diveguide freind with a nice 2cm/1 inch scar from a TT.
Anyone who thinks a TT is not dangerous should try diving Raja Yai island, Phuket, Thailand. The TTs have their nests in a long stretch of dive site and it is like negotiating a maze.

On the more southerly dive island Raja Noi, there are HUGE boulders and you are swimming through crystal clear water canyons and the TTs are all around ... now I know what the television cowboys felt like going into the pass with the indians high up on the ridge ....

Motto for those dive sites ... learn to swim backwards as well!!!

 

[nwscubamom]

Here's an excellent fact sheet about Titan Triggerfish!

They sound every bit as nasty as you guys have described. Makes me want to run out and get brightly colored fins for protection, and wear a BLACK wetsuit only! :wacko:

http://divetheworldthailand.com/newsletter-200307-titan-triggerfish.htm

:rfish:

 

[Gymnothorax]

The Titan Triggerfish is by far the meanest of the triggers, you are fortunate that it didn't attack you. Many divers get attacked by the titan for no reason what so ever, other triggers such as the clown, niger, huma huma, or blue line or pretty well harmless (unless hungry).

 

[divebunnie]

Reading this thread has brought a smile to my face.

I don't know about other parts of the world, however in the red sea in July, as a pretty inexperienced diver, it was quite comforting to see highly experienced divers get all in a flap when encountering one of these little guys.

I think most of the ground has been covered, yes they are really quite peaceful and docile when out of season. In fact, you would never imagine that they could turn around and be so moody. However round about July (in the red sea anyway) they start to get pretty feisty, and guard their nests with a passion. The advice previously was also right, to swim sideways away from their nesting area, as opposed to up, as their territory goes up to the surface in an ever increasing cone shape out from the dip in the sand that is their nest.

If you are ever charged by a trigger fish, don't worry about crossed wires, you will be able to tell they mean business immediately, if only by they way they lean to one side as they charge at you opening their mouth for the bite!

Having said, that, no I guess they are not life-threatening, though I really wouldn't want to be nipped by one. Our guide at the time did say he was more scared of them than sharks (though that was before his rather close encounter with a couple of grumpy tiger sharks last year).

 

[AbuK]

As far as Titan Triggerfish are concerned I'd agree with the general opinon of most in this thread, namely that they are harmless except when they are protecting their nest. Speaking only for the Red Sea, this time has most certainly started, for the last 2 weeks the breeding pair can be seen vigourlessly defending their nest, one presumably the female sits on the nest whilst the other chases absolutely anything that approaches it.

I have heard of one diver loosing a chunk of fin and another less fortunate loosing a large chunk of his calf muscle due to Titans' protecting their nest. As with everything underwater it is really our fault if we get attacked, I guess we just need to try and understand aggressively defensive behaviour, back off and behave with respect.

 

[gill-again]

I can't believe what I'm reading. Slap that M#$*F@#* and get on with it.

 

[buttermanr]

...Well not exactly, but she did get bitten in the forehead by a trigger during the last dive of our OW course. It actually drew blood.

In the 100 dives or so I have made after that I never found triggers to be particularly aggressive.

RB

 

[cdiver2]

I also have never found them to be aggressive in the Atlantic or Gulf, but they are not afraid of divers I have had them come and take food out of my hand,